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Nursing around Coworkers?

My department summer picnic is tomorrow, and I will be bringing my 7 week old. Spouses and kids are invited. In general, I am fine with nursing in public, and nursed my 1st just about everywhere imaginable. But nursing around my coworkers just doesn't seem appropriate, even with a cover. Most are 45-55 year old men, but a few are younger and have formula fed infants.

I am still on maternity leave so we haven't introduced the bottle yet, but it's on my list of things to do. But trying to do it for the first time in a strange place while also wrangling a toddler doesn't seem like a smart idea. (DH can't get off work.)

Re: Nursing around Coworkers?

In that situation, I can understand why you wouldn't feel comfortable. Maybe when the baby gets fussy and wants to nurse, you could wander off to the car for a "diaper change"?

Do you have a sling or wrap? If you're skillful enough- which might not be possible with a 7 week-old!- you could potentially nurse in the sling/wrap with no-one the wiser. Just bring a fold of material up over the baby's head. If anyone asks to see her, you just smile and say "I think she's sleeping".

Re: Nursing around Coworkers?

If you're not comfortable, you could just wander off to a quieter area of the park to nurse.

I would have been okay nursing around my coworkers when my baby was older, but maybe not at 7 weeks. Things don't always go as smoothly in those early months. So I can understand why you're hesitant. But at the same time, if you get there and feel it would be alright, I say go for it! There's no reason you SHOULD feel uncomfortable. I don't think nursing your baby would be inappropriate. But personal comfort is important too and if YOU don't want to nurse around them...don't.

“We are not put on earth for ourselves, but are placed here for each other. If you are there always for others, then in time of need, someone will be there for you.”
--Anonymous

Re: Nursing around Coworkers?

There's no reason you SHOULD feel uncomfortable. I don't think nursing your baby would be inappropriate. But personal comfort is important too and if YOU don't want to nurse around them...don't.

I think this was part of my problem. I KNOW there is no reason to be uncomfortable, and between the 2 kids I have nursed just about everywhere: in front of family, friends, at funerals, churches, banks, restaurants, zoos, malls, gymnastics class, airports, etc. So I hate that I am uncomfortable with it. But I am, and you're right that I shouldn't do something I am uncomfortable with. I nursed her in the car yesterday.

Re: Nursing around Coworkers?

For me, this actually has less to do with my comfort level than with the comfort level of my coworkers. As in, while some of my coworkers think it's great that I breastfeed my kids, and are fine with me breastfeeding in front of them, I'm pretty sure my boss would be weirded out by seeing me breastfeeding. Sure, it would be great if we lived in a society where that's not the case, but for me, having a comfortable relationship with my boss (who's kind of an awkward guy to begin with) at this point is more important than breastfeeding in front of him when I'm at his house for a work party. So while I will happily breastfeed in public around strangers or friends, around him I retreat to a more private location.